Indicating mechanism for key-set and key-operated cash registers



P. JANNO June 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24, 1956 f bn INDICATING MECHANISM FOR KEY-SET AND KEY-OPERATED CASH REGISTERS Filed April 24. 1956 P. JANNO June 21, 1960 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2,941,715 INDICATING MECHANISM FOR KEY-SET AND KEY-OPERATED CASH REGISTERS Filed April 24, 1956 P. JANNO June 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent G zen-ms --IND ICATIl IG 'M'EQHANISM FQR KEY-SET AND KEY-OPERATED CASH REGKSTERS .Piero Janna, Turin, Italy, assignor to RIV olfi'cine di Villar Perosa Socie'ta p'er Azioni, Turin, Italy Filed Apr. 24, 1956, SerJNo. 580,247

Claims priority, application Italy Apr. 28,1955

3 Claims. (Cl. 235-23) The present invention relates to a cash register 'of'the type wherein the depression of "a key of the keyboard corresponding to a given digit actuat'es front and rear indicator drums as well as all of the components inherent in the operation of the register.

The invention particularly relates to the means for actuating the front and rear indicator drums.

One feature of the invention is that't'he above specified indicator drums are connected with the keyboard through resilient or yielding connecting means.

Another object or feature is that the indicator dlums are adapted, in order to move to the position corresponding to the depressed keys, to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise. 1

A further object or feature is that the digits engraved on the indicator drums follow a sequence which differs from the ordinary or natural number sequence.

he above and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description made with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a key structure;

Fig. 2 is a general view of apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is another view of the same apparatus;

Fig. 4 illustrates a detail;

Fig. 5 illustrates a coupling system between the actuating devices for the front and the rear indicator drums;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View on line VIVI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged part view of Fig. 2';

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 9 is a part cross-sectional view of a drum with its resilient drive mechanism.

The drawings illustrate a single keyboard section corresponding to a single digital column.

The cash register control system comprises a set of such keyboard sections placed side by side, equal in number to that of the digital columns or orders used. Associated with each digital column are two indicator drums, a front drum (operator side) and a rear drum (customer side). All the indicator drums are mounted on a common shaft and the drums corresponding to a common digital column are connected through an actuating system in a manner to be later described.

Fig. 1 illustrates a key structure with the related supporting and guiding elements and comprising a key 1 having a stem 2 extending through two slots formed in a pair of superposed plates or flanges 5 and 6 secured to the frame of the machine.

Threaded on the stem 2 which comprises two lateral tabs 3 and 3a is a spring 4 having its ends respectively engaging the lower guide flange 6 and the tab 3. The spring 4 biasses the key to its raised position and the other tab 3a is urged against the upper guideflanges. Mounted on the machine frame are two brackets 11, v12 (Figs. 2 and 3), hereinafter designated combs, and which are provided with parallel spaced slots and serve as a guiding means for a slide bar 7.

2,941,715 Patented June 2-1, 1960 "ice 5 said rods. The edge of slide bar 7 directed towards the tabs 3 on the actuating keys is provided with teeth respectively designated 15, 16, 17, defining dilferently angled gradients, adapted to engage with the tabs 3. The gradients are nine in number, i.e. equal in number to the keys. In the teeth 15 (Fig. 2) the gradients are so angled that as a tab 3 engages the gradient, depression of the key will displace the slide bar in the direction indicated by the arrow F (Fig. 2).

In the teeth 16, which are three in number, the gradients are so angled that the depression of an associated key will cause a displacement of the slide bar 7 in a direction opposite from that of arrow F, while the tooth 17 which is positioned between the teeth 15 and 16 has two gradients directed in opposite directions.

The slide bar 7 also carries a pin 18 which is adapted to be engaged from opposite sides by two levers 19, 20 pivoted on a pin 21 secured to the frame of the machine and biassed against the pin 18 by a spring 22. Arranged between the levers 19 and 20 is a pin 21a which determines the positioning of both movable levers in the null position of the slide bar.

In the edge of the slide bar remote from the teeth "15, 16, 17 there is formed a V-shaped centering recess 23, adapted to receive a rod 24 in engagement therewith, the rod 24 being supported by a pair of levers 24a on a shaft 41 for providing an accurate zeroised positioning of the slide bar before the tabs 3 enter into engagement with the slide bar.

The slide bar 7 at one of its ends is formed with a rack 25 adapted to mesh with a gear 26 mounted on a fix'e'd axis 27. A gear sector 28 larger in diameter than that of gear 26, and rigidly connected with the latter, comprises two arcs 28a, 23b (Figure 6), one of which is formed with teeth meshing with a gear 29 while the other includes ten equispaced notches. An extension 280 projects from the gear sector. The gear 29 has a hub 35 fast therewith, which is rotatable on a shaft 30. A digitcarrying drum 31 is secured on a hub 31;; freely rotatable on the shaft 30* supporting the gear 29 and is actuated by the gear 29 through a resilient coupling means provided with damping means, to be later described in detail.

The sector 28 driving the indicator-drum 31 is coupled with a further sector 28 completely identical with it, and driving another indicator drum on the opposite side of the machine through an associated gear 29 (see Fig. 5). This coupling is effected through a spacer member 99 which engages a slot 99a in the projection 28cof sector 28 and a corresponding slot formed in sector 28' driving the indicator drum coupled with the drum 31. Fig. 5 illustrates in detail the coupling between the indicator drum drive sectors in the case of a machine having five pairs of drums rotatable on a common shaft 30, one set being visible from the operators side and the other from the customers side.

The resilient coupling means between sector 28' and the indicator drum driven thereby is completely similar to the coupling present between sector 23 and indicator drum 31. In the disclosure accordingly, any statement made with reference to sector 28 and drum 31 associated therewithinay also be made in connection with the sector 28: and the associated indicator drui'n.

In the stationary condition of the machine, i.e. prior to thedepression of a key, the indicator drum 31 is positioned withthat one of its digits correspondingv to the key last depressed during the preceding registering operf H 2,941,715 I ation, positioned opposite a window or index 32. The machine is provided with means for blocking the indicator drums and the corresponding actuating elements in the positions imparted thereto on depression of the related keys. The blocking means will now be described.

Adjacent to each bank of keys there is mounted a parallel linkage comprising an upper bar or link 50, rocker links 55, 56 keyed on shafts 57, 58, respectively, and a lower bar or link 60. The upper bar 50 has two downwardly projecting extensions at the ends thereof carrying rods 51, 52 slidably engaging respective slots 53a, 54a formed in two supports 53 and 54 secured to the frame of the machine. The rods 51 and 52 serve to connect the upper bar 50 with the rocking links 55, 56 and for this purpose the rods are engaged in slots 55a, 56a formed in the rocker links 55, 56. The rocker links are hinged to the lower coupling bar 60 of the parallel linkage. Prior to depression of a key the parallel linkage system 'is held in raised position (Fig. 2) by spring 59 one end of which is secured to a pin 61 fixed to the frame of the machine, the opposite end of the spring 59 being anchored -to .a pin 62 projecting from rocker link 55. The parallel linkage thus described serves to control all the movements of the machine. Only those movements will now be described which relate to the means for blocking the drums and restoring the slide bar 7 to its null position. Pinned on the shaft 58 of the parallel linkage is a lever 63 having a pin 67 at one end thereof while its opposite end has a nose 63a. Secured on the machine frame are two pins 65, 66, on which is journalled a slider 64 formed with'a' pair of slots 65a, 65b engaging said pins. The slider 64 moreover is formed with a suitably shaped slot 64a comprising two interconnected straight portions and carries a pawl 68 resiliently attached thereto. Engaging the slot 64a there is a pin 69 mounted on one arm of a pair of levers 70 (only) one of which is visible in Figures 2 and 7. Each lever 70 has two arms and is secured on a shaft 48. The other arms of the levers 70 are con- .nected by a transversely extending lock-bar 46, which nose portion 75a. In idle condition, prior to depression of any key, the blocking means is in a condition as shown in Fig. 2. It should be noted that the drum digit positioned in front of window 32 is not necessarily zero, but

may be any particular digit corresponding to the last depressed key in the preceding operating cycle.

OPERATION all such steps actually proceed during the depression of I the key.

I Release and resetting of the indicator drums ,50 causes the nose 63a of lever 63 to move clockwise into engagement with the pawl 68, producing a rightward displacement of slider 64. The pin 69 passes therefore from the lower to the upper straight portion of slot 64a and I causes a clockwise rotation of .the shaft 48.and levers 70 secured thereto. Consequently the lock-bar46 is released from a notch 28b in gear sector 28.. The gear sector is thus rendered free to rotateand is restored to null position bytthe rod 24 mounted on twin arms 24a secured ltojshaft 41.,'-rod 24,is, initially retained the posi- 'vice versa. .the drum 31 is marked with the digits 0 to 9 at the vertices .4 tion of Fig. 2 by a spring 77 which holds an arm 24b, which also is secured to shaft '41, in engagement with a stop 78. The movement of the rocker links 55, 56 of the parallel linkage system as a result of the downward movement of the upper bar 50 after release of the sector 28, is transmitted through the shaft 58 to a lever 79 keyed on the latter, carrying a spring-loaded pawl 79' projecting on the path of the arm 24b. The pawl 79' thus engages the arm 24b and causes a counterclockwise rotation of the arm and its shaft 41, thereby bringing the rod 24 into engagement with the centering notch 23 and thereafter, owing to the particular shape imparted to this notch, the slide bar 7 together with all the slide bars such as 7, is restored to its accurately centered condition. The slide bar 7 is held in this position until positively actuated by depression of the key, due to the action of the spring positioning device acting on slide bar 7 and comprising the levers 19 and 20. These levers are maintained by spring 22 in engagement with a fixed stop 21a and clamp between them the pin 18 projecting from slide bar 7.

The positive resetting of the slide bar 7, sector 28 and indicator drum 31, as well as sector 28' and the associated .indicator drum, to the zero or null position, is thus effected before the tab 3 has actually come into engagement with the slide bar 7.

II. Control of the indicator drums On continued depression of the key after release and resetting of the indicator drums, the tab 3' engages one 'of the teeth 15, 16, 17. Thus, on depression of the key designated A, the key has its tab 3 engaging the gradient Ben the corresponding tooth 15. Full depression of A therefore causes displacement of the slide bar 7 inthe direction indicated by arrow F (Fig. 2) and a corresponding sliding displacement of the rack 25. The differential angling of the teeth 15 results in a different displacement of the rack 25 and hence in a different angular and a selected direction and amplitude for the angular rotationof the gear 26. Rotation of the gear 26 results in a rotation of the associated sector 28 which is so dimensioned relatively to gear 29 that depression of different keys will produce a rotation of gear 29 by an angular amount of 36, 72, 108, 144 or respectively clockwise, or 36, 72, 108, 144 counterclockwise, or Assuming therefore that the periphery of of a regular decagon, then at each particular displacement of slide bar 7 a particular digit will appear through the window 32. The reason the gradients on the teeth 15, 16, 17 are angled in opposite directions is that this makes it possible to obtain all of the desired angular positions for the drums while minimizing the requisite angling of the gradients and hence the muscular force required to be developed in depressing the keys.

III. Blocking the indicator drums As the key reaches the end of its stroke, the final position of the indicator drums in the selected condition is determined by blocking the gear sectors 28, 28'. The blocking and aligning means already described above operates as follows: As the upper bar 50 of the parallel linkage system, is reaching its lowermost position, the pin 67 on the lever 63 comes into engagement with the nose "754 on the lever 75 and displaces this lever counterclockwise, whereby the slider 64 is displaced by the pin 74 to the left on Figuresl and 7. The pin 69 consequently shifts from the upper to the lower rectilinear portion of the slot 64a, ,thercby rotating the lever .70

counterclockwise and bringing the lockbar 46 into a notch 28b on the gear sector 28. This sectorremains in blocked condition as does also its associated sector 28' and the slide bar 7 and indicator drum 31 as well. The blocked and aligned condition is maintained by the positioning lever 71 even after the depressed key has returned to its idle position, for which purpose the lever 71 is biased by its spring 73 so that the end 71a of the lever engages the recess 64b in the slider 64.

IV. Resilient drive for indicator drums The indicator drum 31 is connected with the drive system including gear 29 as its terminal component, through a resilient drive connection. This connection is provided as follows. Secured on the gear 29 (Figures 8 and 9) there is a pin 34. Indicator drum 31 is secured on a hub 31a freely rotatable on the shaft 30. Rotatably mounted on hub 35 are two further hubs 36 and 37 having secured thereto levers 38 and 39, and'biased towards a closely adjacent position by a torsion spring 40 mounted on the hubs 36 and 37 and having its ends engaging stops 38a, 39a projecting from levers 38 and 39. The pin 34 secured to the gear 29 extends between the two levers 38 'and 39, and between these levers also extends a pin 31b projecting from the drum 31. Rotation of the indicator drum 31 is accomplished in the following manner:

Depression of a key, acting through a kinematic chain comprising slide bar 7, rack 25, gear 26 and sector 28 displaces the gear 29 with its pin 34 to an angular position determined by the key depressed. A counterclockwise movement of the gear 29 and pin 34 in Figures 2 and 8 displaces the lever 38 which tensions the torsion spring 40. The spring acts on lever 39 which, through the pin 31b secured to the drum, rotates the latter. At the time the gear 29 and pin 34 come to a stop, which is when the key has reached the end of its stroke, the drum 31 tends to continue to revolve due to inertia, but such continued rotation is opposed by a clamping device which will now be described.

Levers 38 and 39 are provided with damper elements for retarding or preventing hunting of the indicator drum. The damper elements comprise two small levers 42 and 43 respectively mounted on levers 38 and 39 through pins 42a and 43a about which the levers 42 and 43 are freely pivoted. One end 42b, 43b of each lever 42, 43 is flat, while the opposite end such as 42c, is formed as a hook. In the idle condition levers 42 and 43 are positioned as in Fig. 4 with the ends 42b, 43b held by springs 44, 45 in engagement with the pin 31b and hooks such as 42c slightly spaced from the pin 34. The damping arrangement works as follows: As the lever 39 and consequently the drum is brought to a stop against the pin 34, the pin 31b on the drum strikes the edge 42 of the lever 42. This impact causes a momentaneous counterclockwise rotation of the lever 42 in Figures 4 and 8 on its pin 42a and the hook 420 is momentarily engaged about the pin 34 secured to the gear 29. The same impact causes a similar momentaneous swinging movement of the lever 43 on its pin 43a, whereby its hooked end engages the pin 34.

This temporary engagement of the hooks and pin 34 prevents continued rotation, due to inertia, of the indicator drum. The reasons for providing a resilient connection of the indicator drum with the key are principally the following:

(1) It reduces the initial effort required to depress a key. At the start of the displacement of the key there is no need to overcome the inertia of the indicator drum owing to the action of the resilient connection, and the depression of the key thus requires much less effort from the operator.

(2) Wear is reduced in the system. If there were a rigid connection between the indicator drum and the key, then towards the end of the displacement of the latter, the drum would be stopped suddenly and would subject the V V 6 I mechanical drive transmission to an impact which would result in a long-term damaging effect.

One basic characteristic feature of the improved machine is that the various components used in producing drum rotation are all flat elements readily obtainable in large numbers by simple stamping operations or the like, reducing manufacturing costs to a considerable degree. Another feature resides in the reduced dimensions of the value setting elements, which makes it possible to increase the size of the drums without increasing the overall dimensions of the machine.

What I claim is:

1. In a key-set and key-operated cash register, a row of axially displaceable hand-actuated keys each including a stem and a tab laterally protruding from the stem, a rotatable indicating drum associated with the row of keys, a rotatable sector including on its outer periphery a toothed section and a notched section, a resilient coupling means drivingly connecting the tooth section and drum whereby rotary movements of the drum may occasionally be retarded and accelerated with respect to the angular movements of the sector, a pair of levers and a lock-bar supported from the levers adjacent the notched section of the sector thereby to engage and disengage a notch in the sector and angularly lock and unlock the sector, a toothed wheel fast with the sector, a slide bar parallel to the row of keys having an integral rack-shaped end section constantly meshing with the said toothed wheel to rotate the sector through an angle depending upon the shift of the slide bar, a series of diiferently inclined gradients on another section of the slide bar engageable respectively by the tabs on the keys but spaced below the said tabs, the said series of gradients including oppositely inclined gradients whereby the slide bar is selectively and differentially shiftable in opposite directions on selective depression of different keys in the row to thereby rotate the drum in a selected direction, and centering means for the slide bar comprising an articulated parallelogram linkage having a link extending adjacent the tabs on the key stems whereby the link may be translated on depressing a key through a first partial stroke without any gradient on the slide bar being affected from the tab on the key being depressed and through a following second partial stroke in which the tab on the key being depressed is in setting and driving engagement with its associated gradient on the slide bar, camming means associated with the slide bar and articulated parallelogram eifective during the said first partial stroke of the key for forcing the slide bar to its zeroized position, and a sector-lock control connection between the articulated parallelogram and the lock bar supporting levers efiective to unlock the sector on depressing of any key of the row of keys.

2. In a cash register as claimed in claim 1, the said camming means comprising a V-shaped notch cut in the slide bar, a spring-loaded pawl in the sector-lock control connection, a lever having an arm protruding on the path of the pawl whereby the lever is actuated by the pawl on said first partial stroke of the key, and a pin on the lever capable of engaging the V-shaped notch on pivoting of the lever, thereby forcing the slide bar to its Zeroized position.

3. In a cash register as claimed in claim 1, a second indicating drum coaxially spaced from the first named indicating drum, a second rotatable sector coaxially spaced from the first named sector, said second sector having a toothed section on its periphery in a driving connection with said second drum, a radially directed extension on each sector, a coupling bar rigidly connecting the extensions on the sectors whereby the second sector follows the angular movements of the first named sector, and a resilient coupling means in the driving connection between the second sector and the second drum whereby rotary movements of the second drum may occasionally --.-7 8 be retarded and accelerated with respect to they angular 1,812,020 QRobertson ,Iune 30, 1931 movements of the second sector. 1,832,791 Rudin Nov. 17, 1931 V 2,108,884 Green Feb. 22, 1938 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,289,055 Landsiedel July; 7,, 1942 v UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 c FOREIGN PATENTS j .1,202,867 Martin Oct. 31. 1916 393,296 Germany Mar. 31, 1924 

